I mostly work in my small but perfectly-formed studio at home in Wickham Market, Suffolk, UK. Imagine a cosy living room, with a whole bunch of pro audio equipment in it, and you’re virtually there. Sometimes I use other spaces (my favourite is Winston Old School Room near Debenham) for specific projects.
I think the most important thing I can tell you about my studio is that it feels relaxed, allowing you to be your most creative self. All the equipment we need is immediately to hand, whether its a guitar, a different microphone, my hybrid electronic/acoustic drums, the lovely mellow-sounding upright piano or a pot of excellent coffee (the beans for which I get from my friend Christopher Rayner-Green at the Suffolk Coffee Company). Frodo the very friendly long-haired chihuahua is often on hand for stress-relief (but he’s happy to be elsewhere if you don’t do dogs). I have amazing original artwork by my friend Pam Ibbotson, lots of natural light and field views. I don’t do grey acoustic foam.
Microphones:
AKG C414XLS
AKG D112
Sennheiser e609
Sennheiser e835 (x3)
Shure SM7B
Shure Beta56A
Shure SM86
Shure SM58 (x2)
Shure SM57 (x2)
Sontronics STC-1
Sontronics STC-1S Stereo Pair
Sony C-100
custom-made ‘sub-kick’, created by my friend Simon Edgoose.
Recording:
M1 MacBook Pro running Reaper. I love Reaper. It does everything you’d expect of a professional DAW, but to me, just makes more sense, much more quickly.
Universal Audio Apollo x8p interface.
Softube Console 1 running the SSL SL 4000 E console emulation.
FX plug-ins and virtual instruments by Universal Audio, Softube, Waves, Celemony, Native Instruments, Toontrack… too numerous to list.
Midas M32R + DL16 (for mobile recording and live sound).
Monitoring:
Genelec 8330A
Avantone Mixcube
Headphones: Ollo Audio S4X and S4R
Instruments:
Jarrett & Goudge upright piano
Roland RD64 digital piano
Gretsch Streamliner G2622 electric guitar
Westfield bass guitar
Bod bodhran
Various hand percussion, shakers etc
Drums: custom-created hybrid acoustic/electronic 4-piece kit. The snare, toms and kick are electronic, enabling the playing feel of a real kit but with the choice of dozens of drums via Superior Drummer 3 software. I combine this with acoustic cymbals (Istanbul and Zildjian) recorded with mics in the traditional way for an authentic live sound. It really works!
I also have a custom-made Swannell acoustic guitar and a Yamaha Flugelhorn, which I’m happy to play for you, but only I get to play those!
Amps/Effects:
Boss GT-10 effects pedalboard
Laney TF300 combo
FAQs
The Recording Booth is located on the edge of the village of Wickham Market, Suffolk, UK.
If you like to travel by rail, we’re just 6 minutes’ drive from Wickham Market station. I am happy to collect you from the station and take you back there again after the session.
I set up this studio to work closely and comfortably with one or two other people, with everything we need immediately to hand. The room is 5m x 3.5m, with all my kit in it, so doesn’t have space to bring in extra drums or a full band. I have high-quality mobile recording equipment to make live band recording possible at other locations.
